Chapter 89

In the inn's private room.

Inside, I was sitting in a chair, and Ferrin was sitting on the bed, discussing the food situation in this world.

"So, you're saying that compared to advanced Earth food, the food here is still delicious enough to compete?"

"Exactly. Well, sometimes I think it's a bit bland or rough, but I believe that's due to the circulation and price of seasonings, as well as the cooking methods. Compared to our civilization, I think the food in this world is surprisingly delicious. Although, I've only experienced the food in this town so far."

"The curry we had today was so spicy that I couldn't really taste it... Is it not because the ingredients are inferior?"

"I haven't had that impression at all so far. On Earth, we have selective breeding to improve the taste of crops, but in this world, magic or skills might be compensating for that."

The reason the food in this world is more delicious than expected is probably due to this.

Paisa mentioned something about job-related skills, but there are production skills like [Farming] and [Livestock] that are directly equivalent to jobs. If these skills improve with levels, it's reasonable to assume they positively affect the food.

And the meals I've had at the inn, as well as the street food I've tried, have all been good.

Even if the cooking methods are less advanced and the variety of seasonings is limited, and some things like curry are expensive due to the high cost of ingredients, the fact that they still taste good indicates that the original ingredients are of high quality.

"Would the food improve even more if selective breeding were possible?"

"Hmm, I think that's possible... But it would take years or decades. It's worth doing, but the effects wouldn't be immediate."

"No problem! We take a long-term view. If we believe it will get better eventually, it's worth doing!"

"Hehe... Indeed, for the goddesses, it's just a moment."

"By the way, what about quantity? Have you ever felt that food was in short supply while living here, Loki?"

"Never. I haven't seen anyone dying of hunger, and although there's the risk of monsters, the natural environment outside the town is rich, so fruits and fish can be freely obtained. Plus, some of the monsters can be used as food. There are vast fields to the north of this town, so I don't think a food shortage would occur unless there was a major natural disaster."

"Then I don't need to worry, right? We can only watch the situation unfold with natural disasters!"

Her eyes seemed to sparkle with a desire for knowledge.

She probably wants to avoid situations where people are in distress, but usually, the goddesses would only realize the severity of a disaster after it happens.

She probably thought it would be more appropriate to ask someone living in the mortal world.

And answering this level of question is no problem at all.

If I have free time while waiting for the weapon to be completed, I can give as much advice as I can.

In that case...

"From an Earth perspective, the food in this world is surprisingly cheap. Of course, there are expensive items, and the transportation technology is underdeveloped, so food from distant places is expensive. However, there are still many surprisingly cheap items. Even considering labor costs and other factors, the abundance of food is a significant reason."

"Then I can just watch and be reassured?"

"For now, yes. If Ferrin needs to worry, it might be when the population increases or when the number of monsters decreases. Population growth can lead to food shortages, and I think Feelir is managing the population, right?"

"Yeah, but it's very rough."

"It's impossible to have a detailed grasp of the population unless the civilization is highly developed. So, even a rough estimate is necessary. When there's a sudden peace, it's a bit worrying. Also, if the civilization develops significantly, the number of people working in the primary sector will decrease."

"Wow... Loki is amazing!"

"No, no, what I'm saying isn't specialized knowledge; it's just common sense on Earth. If there were reincarnated people with agricultural or livestock experience, those fields could develop rapidly. Actually, people with glass-related knowledge are probably contributing to this world."

"Really?"

"Yeah, there are glasses and transparent cups in this world, which feel more advanced than the surrounding technology. I think it's because people with specialized knowledge have spread it."

"Wow, they're already making an impact... But we can't give reincarnated people any more skills!"

"Then, if you're going to call more people, you could use this as a reference. Whether it's reincarnation or transfer, if they can go to another world, many people would want to start a new life. But the knowledge they bring from Earth can be useful in this world."

"Hmm? How?"

"I don't know how you goddesses choose reincarnated people... But what if you chose souls with the knowledge this world needs? If you can see what kind of life a soul has had, that could work."

"Ooh!! We can read information from souls, so we could choose people who have worked in agriculture or livestock, as Loki suggested!"

"Well, if you want to develop the primary sector to avoid food shortages, that would be good. But if you want to advance civilization, it might be more effective to bring in people with technical or research skills in fields that are lagging behind."

"I see..."

Finally, Ferrin seemed a bit satisfied, leaning back in the chair and looking up at the ceiling, moving her mouth slightly.

Is she organizing her thoughts?

As I watched, I heard her whisper softly.

"No wonder everyone wants to talk to Loki..."

"..."

I didn't say anything, but I sighed inwardly.

My knowledge is just the surface-level information I've picked up to get by in life.

If people who make a living in specialized fields heard it, they would probably dismiss it.

Still, the important thing is that I can communicate with the goddesses and convey my thoughts directly, which has meaning.

...Suddenly, Yagov's words came to mind.

I had just suggested calling more reincarnated people to advance the civilization of this world.

But is that really a good idea?

The residents of this world might suffer because of the knowledge brought in.

In exchange for advancing civilization, people who have been working in certain jobs might lose their livelihoods.

Yagov was worried about such people.

Moreover, not everyone who comes is a decent person.

Even if you select souls carefully to exclude inherently evil people, some will still get carried away with their newfound power.

I can't judge others.

The result is the current power struggle among reincarnated people.

The goddesses, who do not want to see this world decline, are calling in people from Earth to help.

Among those called, some are contributing knowledge as expected, while others are causing chaos.

As a result, many residents of this world are caught up in unnecessary misfortune—albeit only a part of them.

If the power of these people is too overwhelming for the residents of this world and its influence spreads across the continent, the solution might be not to give them such power...

But then, they wouldn't come to this world so easily.

I resisted so much and still refused.

(No, this isn't a simple problem where I can say which solution is correct. I don't have enough information to be confident. If I say too much, I'll just give the goddesses more worry and anxiety. But I can agree with their idea of taking a chance to prevent the decline of this world. Watching their world come to an end without doing anything would be the cruelest thing for the goddesses...)

So, for now, I can only do what I can to help.

And as I travel the world to become stronger, I can verify whether Yagov's words are true.

I can determine whether calling reincarnated people is the right decision.

--Wait a minute...

I'm not a hero or a savior. What am I thinking?

I'm just traveling the world to get stronger.

Why am I thinking like a hero? I almost became the protagonist of an RPG.

As I thought this and looked back at Ferrin, her expression had changed from deep thought to a focused gaze on me.

I felt something was wrong in that instant.

I don't know what skills Ferrin has.

If she has [Mind Reading]...

"Is what you were just thinking true?"

--My inner thoughts were erased by Ferrin's question.